


Alpha

by Wistful_Wild



Category: Chaotic (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:48:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25714555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wistful_Wild/pseuds/Wistful_Wild
Summary: Many players would toss away their scanners after inputting their code, not realizing it had worked and their digital duplicate was now in the "real Chaotic". Hotekk would have done the same, too, had he not received it during the alpha stages. Jokes of him being an "old man" were accurate, as he was one of the first allowed into Chaotic.
Kudos: 4





	Alpha

Many players would toss away their scanners after inputting their code, not realizing it had worked and their digital duplicate was now in the "real Chaotic". Hotekk would have done the same, too, had he not received it during the alpha stages. Jokes of him being an "old man" were accurate, as he was one of the first allowed into Chaotic.

The developers selected them, people to test the environment. They picked from the chatroom on the Chaotic website, those who sounded trustworthy enough to be let in; the skill bar to get a code wouldn't be implemented until sometime in the beta. Hotekk was mostly a lurker in that chat, being a twenty-something in a chatroom of largely teenagers. Learning he was chosen to be tester both surprised and didn't surprise him.

Those days were more... intimate, compared to the Chaotic of today. The developers would contact players regularly for feedback on the incomplete Port Court, inform them of upcoming content to be implemented into the virtual lobby, even hand out free, then beyond rare scans for participation. Whereas now, they barely even interacted with the Codemasters.

Many of the first were too distracted with exploring Perim, or battling as their favorite creatures for the first time to give feedback. So, most of the criticism sent to the creators came from Hotekk. He only began scan questing regularly around beta when people somewhat understood the geography of Perim. He passed that time learning about the dromes, learning their workings and nuances.

The memory-tapping feature wasn't mentioned by the developers - apparently, it wasn't intentional. Many players encountered it by chance, though, seeing, smelling, or interacting with something and making associated memories surface. Hotekk recalled his first distinctly; battling as Viqtarr in Everrain and started stepping into one of the many rivers that flowed through the fungal forest. Memories flashed before him, ones of the bear-man slipping into this very lake and fearing he would drown, not being able to swim. To his luck, the water barely went past his waist.

The outdoors part of Chaotic was already mostly done, but many buildings didn't exist yet. There was the beta drome, which was restricted for player use while the developers used it to catch bugs and test features. Only three of the seven standard dromes had been programmed, all nameless, and with the same coat of white as the Port Court. The rest and their current designs were added as the Council of Codemasters were introduced; when the developers knew this game would explode the moment it launched.

The very first Codemasters were actually programs like the drome announcer. They took the same appearance that the Codemasters have always used, the eccentric robot helmets, and patterned monochrome robes. By today's standards, the programs weren't very hard for an experienced player. In the alpha days, however, when the general skill level was significantly lower, they were frustratingly powerful.

The programs were only placeholders, though, stand-ins until real players took each title. The council still used them when a Codemaster resigned or was kicked off, and had them fill in at their respective drome while a replacement was selected. Originally, their voices were synthesized like the announcer's, but made to sound somewhat human. The developers failed there, instead making them sound like androids from a dystopian horror movie. Hotekk, Crellan, and Mackenzie, the current Amzen, made a replacement voice over when they got along well enough.

How players became Codemaster during alpha wasn't much different from today's requirements. Like with the chatroom, the developers offered the role to the most trustworthy players. Having sent them feedback for months now, some of which they actually considered, Hotekk was an immediate pick. Those were boring months for Ethan on Earth, days spent working in a small record store downtown. The pay was decent, but the job itself was tedious and boring beyond belief. Absolutely nothing else was going on in his life. With Chaotic being the only interesting thing at that time, why not, he thought?

The third to accept the offer, he had his pick of the remaining five titles. Hotekk didn't care which he got, except for Chirrul. The developers simply chose the first on the list not yet picked: Hotekk (obviously).

Hotekk barely remembered the other first Codemasters, even though they policed Chaotic together; from the day Chaotic went online, the virtual reality was a magnet for misfits. Codemasters came and went, usually out of disinterest or finding the work too hard. Sometimes, they were relieved for rule violations, like the boy who tried hacking his scanner. The other didn't learn why he attempted it, but the developers soon after installed additional measures to prevent hacks. Codemasters changed every month or so, while only Hotekk stuck around. As the only regular, he became the Codemasters' negotiator with creatures, one who could build a sense of trust with Perimians overtime. Creatures were even more hostile towards humans then. Most were only just learning about their species, these OverWorlder-like creatures with bright clothes, who explored even the most dangerous locations with enthusiasm. Being the ambassador then was even more difficult than in the present, in the aftermath of the Perithon where even fellow tribesmen fought among each other. Not to mention, it just wasn't his thing. Sometimes, his attempts to ease tensions came off as abrasive or rude, making the situation even worse. By sheer luck, Crellan joined the Council soon after and assumed the role. When he did, Hotekk recalled cheering in his office over it.

Apart from him and Kit, he realized most of those players and former Codemasters probably didn't even play anymore. A few came to mind from those days, players he still encountered sometimes; the rich boy with an accent who disappeared for a while, then came back in a wheelchair. A tomboyish girl with ashen hair who kept being reported for minor rule violations. Two or three of the Chaotikings, perhaps the first-ever club in Chaotic. A Hispanic or middle-eastern boy who always ordered coffee, who Hotekk never saw talk to anyone.

And, how could he forget, KidChaor, who was probably worshiping the creature before he even got his code.

Reflecting on those days now past while sorting through today's reports in his office-another for the tomboy-Hotekk felt a longing for a return to those days when Chaotic wasn't crowded like the streets of his city and the reports, didn't pile up like Herken's Perim-famous super-stacker sandwiches. When the developers weren't shady like Drakness, and his favorite battle teams were still meta...

"Yep, nostalgia," he thought aloud, looking up from his desk. It was going to be one of those months again.

Preparing for an investigation of the first report, he stopped by the Codemaster cafe to grab an extra-large cup of coffee, making it extra sweet like those Coffee Boy always ordered. Having a sip, the strong, sugary taste summarized his mood from all the remembrance... bittersweet.


End file.
